WARREN HILL JAPANESE MAPLE CLUMP

[MACH5]

Beautiful. The spacing and rotation are significant improvements. Tough to tell from a 2d pic, but I want to rotate a degree or two clockwise and pull the small back trunk slightly to the left. The apex of the tall trunk is not ideal at this time, but its work in progress and its progressing nicely.

Thanks Don! Yes still playing with that back trunk. For now it was pulled with a small guy wire to the left closer to the largest trunk. As you mentioned things are still a bit in flux and more decisions to be made. It has been a complex project for me. It will take a while for all of it to mature and settle.

 

[GrimLore]

My guess is that it will take at least two full growing seasons if not more to fully set it in place.

Excellence as usual! From Experience I can tell you it can take two - three seasons but you can hasten the process. When you use the spreader "crack" the trunk/branch a bit - it will heal in place in one year

Grimmy

 

[MACH5]

Wow, I think Fred said it all.

Any way you can get that lowest small left trunk to angle up with the trunk more as it leaves the trunk, and then curve out and away? Something about it bugs me. But it's a very tiny bug!

Thanks Juds! Perhaps I can. Honestly it does not bug me... at least not yet! I will keep this in mind when I work/wire it again next year and see where I am with it. I can see in nature this little trunk being pushed way out in search of light by the bigger trunks. I would like however to scar its base so that it swells up to create more flare at its collar and a better transition into the parent trunk.

 

[MACH5]

Excellence as usual! From Experience I can tell you it can take two - three seasons but you can hasten the process. When you use the spreader "crack" the trunk/branch a bit - it will heal in place in one year

Grimmy

Hmmm I know Grimmy, but man it is a bit risky yes? As I pushed the trunks out I started to hear the slight sound of wood cracking. I thought the whole thing was going to snap!

Of course I could always cut the whole darn thing leaving 3" stubs, start over and make a nice and super stocky little tree. That option has also crossed my mind but...

 

[Adair M]

Mach, I could tell there's a lot of pressure. And I noticed that one was bent more than the other, which is really impressive!

And, upon closer inspection, I see there are two cedar spacers! That's gotta make it trickier!

The cedar is far more attractive than what I'm about to suggest: I'm thinking that metal turnbuckle spreaders might be even more effective. Because of the nature of maple wood, I'm afraid that it will want to spring back towards its original position when the cedar is removed. Not all the way, but it probably won't stay as it is now. Using the turnbuckle spreaders, you could ever so slightly "overbend" now, get the healing started, and then later, you could loosen them a bit to your final desired position. It would be a shame to remove the cedar spreaders two years from now and have the two trunks move two inches back towards each other.

 

[GrimLore]

I thought the whole thing was going to snap!

Crazy glue is your friend! And Raffia of course

Grimmy

 

[Dalmat]

Great tree sir,
Looking at it for some minutes, somehow removing a lowest right branch comes to my mind.
It's looks to me that without it the tree will look more elegant.
Love the controversial left branch though, for this tree is like parmigiano on a pasta sauce.

 

[Adair M]

Crazy glue is your friend! And Raffia of course

Grimmy

Grimmy,

To my eye, it appears that all the pressure is on the joint, right st the base of the trunk. I can't see how raffa or vet rap could be placed there. The risk is the whole branch splits off from the common trunk. If it does, it would forever be weak. I think Mach's approach is fine.

 

[MACH5]

Great tree sir,
Looking at it for some minutes, somehow removing a lowest right branch comes to my mind.
It's looks to me that without it the tree will look more elegant.
Love the controversial left branch though, for this tree is like parmigiano on a pasta sauce.

Thanks Dalmat! The branch your are referring to comes also forward and obscures the trunk a bit which I think is nice. Without this branch the tree would be completely exposed and flat. I realize it is exceedingly difficult to judge and appreciate any given tree through a 2D image.

Glad you like the somewhat controversial trunk. I think this is an important element within the composition. It is a weaker branch/trunk and one that I am keeping an eye on because I'd hate to loose it.

 

[MACH5]

Mach, I could tell there's a lot of pressure. And I noticed that one was bent more than the other, which is really impressive!

And, upon closer inspection, I see there are two cedar spacers! That's gotta make it trickier!

The cedar is far more attractive than what I'm about to suggest: I'm thinking that metal turnbuckle spreaders might be even more effective. Because of the nature of maple wood, I'm afraid that it will want to spring back towards its original position when the cedar is removed. Not all the way, but it probably won't stay as it is now. Using the turnbuckle spreaders, you could ever so slightly "overbend" now, get the healing started, and then later, you could loosen them a bit to your final desired position. It would be a shame to remove the cedar spreaders two years from now and have the two trunks move two inches back towards each other.

Yes two spacers used. Thanks for the suggestion Adair. I will look into the metal turnbuckle spreaders. The cedar spacers were an improvisation as I worked with the tree and realized how much better it would be if in fact I spaced the trunks out. So out came the cedar and my saw

 

[MACH5]

I purchased this Sara Rayner pot on EBay. It is beautiful!! I bought it with this tree in mind. It is pretty big at 22" x 15" x 2". Photo is from the seller.




BUT........

 

[GrimLore]

BUT........

Please do tell

Grimmy

 

[fredtruck]

When I read a lot of the suggestions above, I didn't believe many of them would work. But seeing where the tree is now, I'm happy to say I was mostly wrong. Rotating the tree helped immensely.

 

[Dan W.]

Not sure what the "But..." is, But... I love the Sara pot for this tree!

 

[MACH5]

Not sure what the "But..." is, But... I love the Sara pot for this tree!

Here is the... BUT

Even the most hardened sailor would have felt uncomfortable with the types of expletives I used when I opened my box and saw this!




UPS tends to be rough with their boxes. But, I do think the blame in this case was on the seller. The box used was WAY too small for this pot. It was no surprise this happened. At least he was responsive and I was refunded the money quickly. I get to keep the pot which I intend to fix in time for spring repotting.

 

[Dav4]

Here is the... BUT

Even the most hardened sailor would have felt uncomfortable with the types of expletives I used when I opened my box and saw this!




UPS tends to be rough with their boxes. But, I do think the blame in this case was on the seller. The box used was WAY too small for this pot. It was no surprise this happened. At least he was responsive and I was refunded the money quickly. I get to keep the pot which I intend to fix in time for spring repotting.

Jeez, Sergio, I just dropped a few 4 letter "fix it" words when I saw that carnage...one of the most beautiful Rayner pots I've seen. Glad to see you've been treated well by the seller.

 

[whfarro]

Crap. I can only imagine the frustration, anger and disappointment all hitting you at the same time. Words (even a string of cuss words) can't fully express that.

I am sure you will find the perfect pairing for this tree.

 

[Vin]

Here is the... BUT

Even the most hardened sailor would have felt uncomfortable with the types of expletives I used when I opened my box and saw this!




UPS tends to be rough with their boxes. But, I do think the blame in this case was on the seller. The box used was WAY too small for this pot. It was no surprise this happened. At least he was responsive and I was refunded the money quickly. I get to keep the pot which I intend to fix in time for spring repotting.

One good thing is it cracked right down the middle and there are holes on both sides. Very fixable in my opinion. Still sucks that it broke in the first place though.

 

[jriddell88]

Yes trees and pots..do not use ups..convince them to ship fed ex..have used fed ex for years not one problem

 

[MACH5]

Jeez, Sergio, I just dropped a few 4 letter "fix it" words when I saw that carnage...one of the most beautiful Rayner pots I've seen. Glad to see you've been treated well by the seller.

I agree Dave! Admittedly I am not a big fan of Rayner pots. This one I thought was the most beautiful one I have seen from her by a mile. In person the glaze if gorgeous! It reminds me of some of the best European pots. I will do my best with the help of our friend Fred (fredtruck) to get it fixed.

@Will: Perhaps is just me but I cannot see the content of your post?